Base plate for railroad-track structures



April 1, 1930. a. w. MULLER BASE PLATE FOR RAILROAD TRACK STRUCZURES Filed Aug. 20, 1928 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 PATENT; OFFICE GEORGE W. MULLER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BASE PLATE FOR RAILROAD-TRACK STRUCTURES Application filed August 20, 1928.

This invention relates towhat are termed generally base plates or tie plates, meaning the metal pieces now made in a great variety of forms and placed upon the ties in railway construction to directly support the rails. Those platesare of the greatest importance in track building or railroad track structure, and the forms set forth in the drawing of this application, can be used under straight or curved rails of railway tracks, and under switch rails, appurtenances and frogs, and are laid parallel with the track.

In explanation of the reasons of this applicant for submitting this invention in the forms illustrated, it may be stated that by actual. test and experiments conducted under close observation for six months trial on a very prominent railroad in this country, where more than nine thousand trains mounting to eight millions wheel tons have passed over the track, it has been proven that with two of the specially constructed base plates of this applicant herein illustrated and described, laid in sections approximately ten long and placed over a plurality of the tiesand under the rail. ends, and also on opposite sides ofthe track, that the track held firmly to the ballast ot the roadbed and did not creep, slip, slide or move in any unde- 30, sired manner, and that the ties and rails of the track structure were held up to a level and straight transverse and longitudinal plane o i It has also been convincingly established by the test stated that the base plates do not work loose from the ties, and the rails are held firmly to the tie plates, and the rail joints, particularly when in combination with the rail joint bar structure of this applicant, resist displacement in every way, and no maintenancework has been done to the track upon which the tests were made during the time set forth, It has been admitted by persons familiar with the subject that the track has shown itself to be stronger, safer, less noisy under the passing wheels, and affording easier riding in the coaches than has been previously known tosuch persons.

One efjthe objects of this invention is to a Pl e at ei of the fame l Serial No. 300,807.

trated in this application over the tops of two, three, four or six ties, or in the form of a continuousbase plate running upon the tops of all the ties and under each rail on opposite sides of the track.

Another object of the form and construction of the base plates comprised-in this invention is. to hold theties in their bed on curves, especially at the joints of the rails where the lateral thrust is most severe and liable to result in the greatest injury to the track. At such points the wheel loads beat down the rail ends vertically, and at the same time and on account of the. bevelled wheel face the constantly repeated blows knock the rails outwardly. This effect keeps up day after day, and any looseness which may occur renders the joint less resistant, and in a very short time causes the joint bars to become displaced. By the use of base plates formed and arranged in accordance with this invention such initial and subsequent damage is reduced to a minimum.

The condition with respect, to the side thrusts mentioned, to some extent exists along the straight track as well as at the curves, but it is most severe on the curves especially at the joints of the rails where the passing wheels produce the lateral effect in the highest degree.

Another object of this invention is to place a base plate of the same length under the rails on opposite sides of the track atthe joints Where the rail ends meet, for the reason that if one plate only was placed under the rail ends at the joints, the vertical pounding down and the outward thrusts by the wheels would drive the single plate and ties outwardly 'at the joint sections and thereby distort the gage of the track. Under such conditions the ends of the ties not provided with a base plate would creep or crawl or open fan-shape, and the base plate in time would become loosened as would. also the joint bars. Therefore, it is most important that the base plates be placed on opposite sides of the track at the joints to hold the ties in line and proper spacing and to prevent them from bobbing upand. downor creeping and to hold the to gage and give a more evenly balanced track. The number of ties covered over by the base plate, or all ties covered by continuous plates, will seat themselves more uniformly in their bed and stay a level, and less tamping and surfacing will be required thereby materially reducing one of the most ex ensive items called for in the maintenance the track.

The basic trouble met with in present day track destruction, and the main reason the tracks go to pieces so quickly and require so much maintenance is due to the fact that the great number of wheel loads running over the rails, when on the rail between the ties causes the rail to bend down and the portion of the rail immediately ahead rises up and tends to lift the spikes from the rail flanges. The movement of the rails produced is what is termed wave motion and it results in a substantially lever action upon the heads of the spikes. When the rails are placed upon the single tie plates now in use, the rail works up and down, and beats the tie plate down into the tie. At the same time the heavy weight of the rail itself added to the effect of the wheel loads causes the single tie plate to rock, and to cut down into the tie thereby forming a water pocket. The combined wave motion and lever action upon the rails by thus lifting the spikes, together with the lateral thrust of the passing wheels against the rails works the single tie plates up and down and back and forth and allows water in under the plate, which soon rots the tie. This wave motion in the rails causes the ties, particularly in one way track, to creep or move from the bed, and in some places it slips and slides sidewise. Sometimes the ties get into fanshape, and all these displacing movements a, cause the track to get loose from the single tie plates, and the actions constantly repeated work the rail joint bars loose, and the bolts give away, and then the track soon becomes out of level and out of gage and con- 43 sequently noisy and unsafe. It is believed that base plates made in either of the different forms set out in this application and de scribed hereinafter, will to a very valuable extent prevent the injurious movements and 511) results stated, and make a safe, strong track with many advantages and a very noticeable saving in upkeep. Plates made in accordance with this invention prevent the major portion or substantially all of the rail wave motion and lever action. The plates are so constructed that they hold the rails to the plates, and the plates covering the full width of the ties and running across the tops of the ties from one to another, and screwed down to each of the ties through the plate on its outer edge prevents water from getting under the base plate or into the screw or spike holes.

When the rail is set upon a base plate made in accordance with this invention, and which 5 is provided with lip-standing shoulders there is a resistance to displacement by the shoulder on the outside of the rail base. On the inside of the rail there are holes through the base plate located in the spaces between the ties, and holding means (not shown) complementary to said holes in the base plate for securely fastening the base plate to the tie and the-rail is affixed firmly to the base plate, the result is a vibratory or spring action which makes the track resilient and flexible. In this connection, another and important object and advantage of this invention is when new rails are laid down the work can be done very much more quickly and with less manual labor, as it is necessary merely to lift the holding means from the holes with a short handle pry lever bar, and then with the fingers move the clamp piece from the rail and base plate. It is a very simple oper ation, believed to be modern and novel, and

the above is the preferred form of this invention.

Where a single upstanding shoulder of a base plate having either a flat or canted upper surface is used, or a base plate of like construction with two Lip-standing shoulders on each side of the rail, holes are formed through the plate between the ties, and the holding clamp pieces are dropped through the holes upon both sides of the rails, then a spike pin is forced through each hole and its spring legs or fingers opened up below the plate which is thus held from coming loose. Either of the forms of the plates above described, or any plates similar in formation having holes through their outer edges in order that screws or spikes may be put through to fasten them to the ties may be used.

Another object of this invention is to give more strength to the rails and to prevent them from breaking. It is found that many rolled rails at the present time produced by the usual manufacturing methods, have flaws, fissures or defects in them which cannot be detected by superficial inspection, and such objectionable portions do not become noticeable until the rails are laid for use and heavy trains are passing over them. Then a rail or rails break and disastrous derailments occur. In the greater number of instances of this kind the use of base plates constructed in accordance with this invention would prevent or materially mitigate the resulting damage to life and rolling stock.

To the ends hereinabove set forth, this invention consists generally of base plates of special construction substantially as shown, placed over series or groups of ties at any desired location, and spaced in any way that may be determined, covering a plurality of succeeding ties or continuously over a considerable number of ties laid at right angles under the said plates, the plates being fasb lied to the ties; by means of screws, spikes,

3 drain 0 or any other holding means for the purpose of supporting the base of the rail and for maintaining the rail in its proper position for as long a time as possible.

The cross ties for use with this invention may be of any material either wood, steel, iron, concrete, or a combination or composite body of any materials, as the plates can be so made, arranged and secured as to become regarded as standardized track parts, and they can be easily placed under rails now in position in tracks in service, no stopping of the traffic being necessary. Where any of the forms set forth in this application are employed and fastened upon the ties as described, the rolling load and weight is distributed over many ties, and the otherwise injurious effect of the multiplied wheel loads on any given tie is greatly relieved and thereby spread out through the plates and ties to the bed below.

The preferred forms of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

F ig. 1 is a sectional View of a base plate constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of modifications thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing an elongated plate to extend over a plurality of ties, and with shoulders corresponding to those of the other views.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing in detail the numeral 127 indicates a base plate provided with shoulders 130 and 131, the top surface of the plate between the shoulders being concave as indicated at 132 to allow for drainage and to give the outer edges of the rail permanent bearing to prevent the rail from rocking. The bottom of the plate 127 is provided with a single wedge-shaped and sharp-edged bead or downward projection extending under the middle of the rail. One side of the, projection 133 is vertical and the other side concave, and it bites or grips into the tie to hold it from slipping and to exclude Water. The outer edges of the plate are slightly turned downward to bite into the tie to prevent the plate from slipping and to prevent water from getting under the plate.

Figure 2 is a base plate 149 similar in shape to the plate shown in Figure 1. The plate 149 has no bottom projection, and the longitudinal depressed surface 150 of the plate between the raised shoulders 151 and 152 is provided with drainage holes 153 spaced along the depression. The holes drain the water from beneath the rail base.

Figure 3 is a base plate 154 having a depressed or concave rail bearing upper sur face 155. The plate 154 is similar to the plate shown in Figure 2, but the surface 155 is canted or slanted as illustrated. The drainage hole 156 is punched through the lowest 1point of the concavity in order to any water beneath the rail base.

Having now fully described the nature and construction of this invention, I claim 1. A base plate of the character described adapted to be secured upon a series of succeeding cross ties and having spaced up standing portions near the edges of the plate, the surface between the said Lip-standing portions being canted and concave and extending longitudinally.

2. In combination, a rail including a base portion having a fiat underside, a base plate having spaced upstanding shoulders at the sides of the rail base, the space between the shoulders being concave and underlying the flat underside of the rail base, and having a drainage opening therein.

3. A base plate of the character described adapted to be secured upon a series of succeeding cross ties and having spaced upstanding portions near the edges of the plate, the surface between the said lip-standing portions being canted and concave and extending longitudinally, said plate having a drainage opening between the up-standing portions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE W. MULLER. 

